LiDAR

A brief introduction to 3D LiDAR sensors and their applications in GRYFN solutions

LiDAR Sensing Overview

Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) sensors work by emitting a light pulse which reflects off of objects which are then received by photodetectors in the sensor. This is known as an "active" sensor because it creates the energy it observes. The time between the light pulse emittance and reception is recorded, this time is used to calculate the distance to an object by using the speed of light to calculate the distance traveled. The sensor rotates around an axis and reports range, azimuth, and intensity for each return.

LiDAR Sensor Diagram (MDPI)

Data collection considerations

Because LiDAR is an active sensing technology, the sensor does not rely on sunlight, visibility, or other atmospheric elements. Therefore, a LiDAR sensor can be flown at nearly any time. So long as there is no active precipitation in the air, LiDAR data can be collected. This means LiDAR can be flown in completely overcast conditions, or even at night, with no negative implications on data quality.

The largest consideration for LiDAR data collection is reflective surfaces. This primarily refers to water and other reflective surfaces. These surfaces disrupt the lasers and significantly limit the number of returns.

Flood spots in a survey lead to few LiDAR returns (GRYFN)